Back To Where You Began
by SomeGuyNamedTy
Summary: A more mature approach to a Pokemon Journey following an experienced Trainer from Pallet Town. Tyler already began his Pokemon pursuit 7 years ago but abruptly retired after winning the Indigo League for mysterious reasons. Now he must face a new journey to defeat unfamiliar opponents and set right the rumours surrounding his past.
1. 1: Pallet Town

_.."JOLTEON, NO!"_

 _The lightening dog lay motionless on the ground, it's limp body half hidden in the dirt by Onix's slam. The rock snake Pokemon roared victoriously sending unpleasant vibrations around the stadium forcing the few empty seats to rattle in their frames._ _Unused_ _currents escaped from the Jolteon's sparking fur and skimmed over the arena before dying against Onix's stone hide with no affect._

 _"Return your Pokemon or my Onix will finish it!"_

 _Jolteon's trainer clenched his teeth, his wild eyes desperately shifting between the Pokemon as his mind scrolled through every strategy he had ever learnt. The crowd began to grow louder, like a God of many voices demanding the trainer surrender. Ty's lip curled into a smug smirk as his opponent released a small whimper out of panic and desperation before finally dropping his shoulders in defeat and returning his injured Jolteon._

 _"I still have one more, this isn't ov-" The boy shrieked as Onix released another roar causing the crowd to swiftly fall silent before erupting in to laughter._

 _"Enough, Onix. Return!" Ty shouted, attempting to ignore the disapproving look of the Battle Judge. A red light surrounded the giant Pokemon before disappearing from view._

 _Ty's smirk shifted into a pout as he cockily pressed his lips against his last Pokeball._

 _"We got this!" He whispered before throwing the ball into the arena. He waited for the familiar flash of crimson hue before opening his hand, awaiting the return of the empty ball._

 _"Out Blastoise!" He shouted as the Pokeball slapped back against his palm and minimised._

 _"Indigo League Champion Ri_ _chie_ _has chosen Pikachu as his third and final Pokemon. His challenger, Tyler has chosen Blastoise. Ri_ _chie_ _now has one last chance to defend his reigning championship and uphold the Kanto Region ti-"_

Ty shut down his laptop, staring at his reflection in the black screen. His facial features hardly resembled the wide-eyed, cocky 12 year old he had been in the video. His hair was longer, darker, just covering his light grey eyes. His brow and jawline were much more prominent, his arms more muscular and his shoulders broader as what naturally occurs to a boy of 17. Even so, 5 new champions later and he was still recognised and conceded as a minor celebrity, much to his annoyance. When you're 12 years old, you're too excited and naive to deal with the consequences of becoming the Indigo League champion and the unexpected fame that accompanies it. All Ty had wanted to do was what any kid wanted to do, collect Pokemon and win battles and that is what he had done. He had won the ultimate battle and his Pokemon journey abruptly ended.

He sat in a small room in a basement under a Pokemart in Pallet Town. The curtains never revealed the view behind the tiny windows and cardboard boxes lined the floors and walls.

As Ty closed the screen of his laptop and placed it back on his desk. He eyed the letter he had read twice a day since receiving it several weeks ago. Professor oak's invitation lay unanswered, crinkled, spoilt by coffee rings and water marks. It didn't matter that the writing was now smudged and unreadable, it's what the letter didn't say that concerned Ty. The gist of the letter was an invitation from Professor Oak to invite Ty out of retirement and continue his journey to the Johto region. The offer was generous and wording polite yet he knew that Oak had a far more sinister request from him than just completing another Pokedex. He wanted his first. The one Oak handed to him on his 10th birthday on the promise he find and collect the data of every Kanto Region Pokemon. The one Ty had almost completed. Ty certainly didn't think of Professor Oak as a bad guy, no one did, but he would be the last to raise a glass for the old man's achievements.

See, the truth about the seemingly perfect world of Pokemon is the unspoken afflictions. Imagine children as young as 10 being praised and idolised after a long and painful journey of solitude. One day you're begging a rookie trainer to battle for the pitiful prize of their water bottle, the next your name is carved into a Dratini statue in the Hall Of Fame. And once your name is carved into that stone, it is also carved into good minds of the Pokemon world.. and the bad. Even the most sensible of young people cannot reveal the danger masked as a gift and who can make a champion reject it?

The perils of victory and politics were unfortunately not the only issues Ty had to contend with after his first adventure. Puberty changes people in a lot of ways, physically and mentally. The child who was once confident and outspoken can become shy and lonely. The child who everyone compliments and panders over is now insecure and self-deprecating. Ty was no exception to this struggle. Although his tiny basement room was still decorated in dusty posters and magazine covers from his glory days, there was little evidence of his development into a bitter teenage seclusion. After his victory tour was over Ty had given Professor Oak his champion Pokemon for a short term loan, but after 5 years, the Pokemon had all been donated to far more ambitious trainers before they could turn back wild. It had not been Ty's wish but he lacked the motivation to protest.

Once he had finally rolled out of bed and showered, he stepped into some pants, buttoned up a simple denim shirt and pushed his curly mop of hair under a soft felt trilby hat. He appeared more fashion conscious than he cared to but the hat gave him somewhat of a disguise, as would the sunglasses hanging from the neck of his shirt. He had no shortage of clothes and accessories. Sponsors still spoiled him with their latest stock, most of which still lay untouched, wrapped in plastic and hidden in boxes cluttering the room. There was just one thing he needed before he left, his old Pokedex. Oak had been patient enough. Eventually he found the device under a pile of old battle strategy guides. He paused, brushing his thumb lightly over the scratches and dents embedded into the faded cherry red case. For the first time in a long while, Ty smiled. The largest scratch had been from a wild Charmeleon he recalled. He had tried to catch it single handedly before being saved by his Squirtle's water gun. The cracked corner was when he dropped it whilst racing his Taurus down Route 17 from a particularly dangerous biker gang. His smile soon disappeared with the realisation that declining Professor Oak's offer would also mean parting with a piece of his history. Even so, he placed the Pokedex into his satchel and left the cluttered, dark room.

In contrast, it was a naturally bright morning in Pallet Town though the strong winds higher up caused the clouds to travel faster than usual. The shadows danced gracefully over the meadows and sparse dwellings before quickly disappearing over the hilltops. Fortunately the simple dirt roads were not too busy on such a peaceful day and Ty could travel to Professor Oak's Ranch without fear of interaction. Although Ty rarely ventured outside anymore, the path was familiar. He had taken the same route on his 10th birthday although at a much faster pace, fuelled by the excitement of choosing his very first starter Pokemon. Though the seven year old memory now felt like a different lifetime. How much had changed.

Once he caught sight of the famous turbine behind Oak's lab, Ty followed the path up to the ranch and quietly followed an aid to Oak's office.

"Good morning Professor. I hope I'm not interrupting. Eh, Perhaps I should have made an appointment?" Ty questioned, his eyes flicking towards the flustered aid he had followed in, now tidying some loose papers on Oak's desk before slamming the door behind him.

The silver haired man winced at the sound of door hitting frame. "Apologies Ty. Ignore that. Interns. Mad as a pond of Gyarados, all of them!" He smiled, taking in the teenagers appearance. "It really is good to see you out of the house."

"Is it? I haven't been asked for an autograph yet so I'll delay the celebrations" Ty joked.

The Professor simply nodded not sharing his sense of humour. "Well I'm glad to see you. You're welcome here any time, you know that."

Ty smiled uncomfortably, shifting his attention to one of the windows overlooking the Oak ranch. As if to read his mind, the Professor continued. "Your Onix is doing just fine, I can arrange for him to be collected if you'd like."

Onix had been the only one of Ty's Pokemon Oak could not re-home. The giant Pokemon was far too large and unpredictable to be given to a rookie trainer and the trainers who could tame him reeked of greed and corruption. It would have been professionally negligent of Oak to release such a creature in to the wrong hands.

Ty frowned. "Actually Professor, that's something I came to speak to you about". He raised his hat and ran his fingers through his hair before returning it. "I'm not interested in the Johto circuit. Your offer was generous to say the least but another 8 Gym badges are nothing more than tacky fashion accessories to me. Thanks but no thanks".

Professor Oak tightened his lips, choosing his words carefully. "If that is what you wish. I cannot change your mind. As your mentor, it just saddens me to let such a promising trainer withdraw".

Oak stood to face the wall behind him. It was crudely decorated with Trainer portraits and their teams posing happily with varying trophies and ribbons. Ty counted nine. Nine trainers mentored by Oak and displayed proudly behind his desk. The trainers who didn't make the wall probably didn't even receive a Christmas card from the glory supporting Professor. Oak took Ty's picture from the wall, it hung above Gary's, Oak's nephew. "You trained one of the strongest teams the Indigo League had ever witnessed. Trainers from all around the world still beg me for your Pokemon offering silly money". Oak smiled, probably from the mention of money and took a seat. "Silly. However, I hear all your Pokemon are doing quite well with their new trainers".

"The ones that are left."

Professor Oak tightened his jaw, not wishing to continue that topic of conversation. He had already touched a nerve, though that was hardly a challenge.

"Yes, well... I assumed you took receipt of my letter. There is another reason I asked you here".

Ty nodded and retrieved his Pokedex from his bag and placed it lightly on the stack of neat papers. "I know and If I remember correctly, there should be 142 entries in there, almost complete. but I think you're most interested in the last entry though, right?"

Professor Oak sighed, admitting defeat but he remained still, ignoring the device. "Ty, what happened was not your fault, you cannot blame yourself."

"You're right Professor, I don't." Ty straightened his posture. "Somebody should have stopped it. You, the Elite Four, the Pokemon League, anyone. I was twelve years old. TWELVE! and my Blastoise.." Ty trailed off, folding his arms and looking down.

Professor Oak tilted his head slightly to show the boy sympathy. "You're right Ty, but how were we to know, how was anyone? I'm sorry for what happened to your Blastoise, losing a Pokemon is a terrible, terrible thing." Professor Oak circled the desk to place a hand on Ty's shoulder.

Ty shrugged the hand away, making eye contact for the first time since arriving. "You wanted your precious data, you got it." Ty gestured towards the battered Pokedex.

He hadn't come to start a fight but lately his emotions were getting the better of him. That's sadly what happens when you spend too much time alone and withdrawn.

"I think I've sacrificed enough for your flimsy research so you can award yourselves for the work of others without having to go to Johto as well, don't you?"

Oak leant back against the desk, defeated. "You're right Ty, I have asked far too much from you and I'm sorry. However, I'm not asking you to go to Johto for me, I asking you to go for yourself. You wer- are an incredible Pokemon trainer, a League champion for Arceus sake. It's what you're good at, it's what you enjoy and it's your purpose."

Ty snorted "My purpose? Diglett shit!, my purpose was not to be plastered on every Super Potion bottle from here to Cinnabar Island. Paraded around like a Master Ball for people to gawp at. I know what happens when you win now, why would I still want that?" Ty sat down, exhausted. He hadn't had this long of an interaction in quite some time. "I just want to be forgotten."

"We both know you wont be for a long, long time." Oak picked up the Pokedex, flipping open the case. The screen still displayed the last data entry from all those years ago. Ty winced as the chirpy, metallic voice called out the reading.

 ** _"Mewtwo, the Psychic Pokémon. It was created by genetic manipulation. However, even though the scientific power of humans created this Pokémon's body, they failed to endow Mewtwo with a compassionate heart."_**

"Do you still need an answer as to why I don't wish to continue my journey whilst that THING is still out there?" Ty asked, his hands tightening into fists.

"The fears which we do not face become our limits. Ty, you became the youngest champion in Kanto history, you faced each Gym Leader only once and made a mockery of the Elite Four. You did not expect to be stopped by a genetic experiment, none of us did, but that is not your limit."

Professor Oak pulled open a drawer of his desk and retrieved a navy blue, metallic object similar in size and shape to Ty's Pokedex only more rounded and without the battle wounds. He held it out to Ty. "You know now what you have to face and I fear that you're the only one. Think of all the children, naive and blinded by adventure beginning their journeys today who could lose their partner just like you lost Blastoise. They have no idea what's out there and we can't warn them without sufficient evidence."

Ty frowned taking the new Pokedex but lowering his eyes to his old one. "What do you mean, without sufficient evidence. I nearly died bringing you that data!"

Oak pushed the device into a slot on the side of his computer. It clicked into place before he tapped a couple of keys. A metallic voice confirmed his action. "Pokedex history deleted."

Ty's eyes widened yet he remained calm. Some habits died hard and thankfully his intuition to pick his opponents carefully never left. He took a deep breath through flared nostrils. "Why did you do that Professor?"

Oak took the empty Pokedex and placed it into the breast pocket of his lab coat. "My lab is overflowing with know-it-all interns coming and going as they please. There is great evil in the world Ty, we cannot afford for such information to be released to the masses".

Ty faked a look of realisation before forcing a smile. "You're right".

Professor Oak was not right.

Ty was afraid of the unknown but Mewtwo was no longer unknown, not to him anyway. His future was, in that tiny, cluttered dark room wasting away in fear and paranoia surviving on the profits of a child he could no longer remember being. He didn't want that life for himself or anyone else. If Professor Oak refused to deal with this, he would just have to go after Mewtwo himself. In order to do that he would need a strong team and he would need to be back on the radar.

"Actually, I think I would like you to collect my Onix".


	2. 2: Viridian City

His farewell with Professor Oak had been brief, there was no love lost between the two males even though the pair owed more to one another than either one cared to admit. Though it was not unusual for a trainer to form a special bond with their local Professor. Most checked in with them more often than they did their own family and each child competed like siblings for praise. It was also no secret that each Professor had favourites. A famous case being Ash Ketchum of Pallet town fame. Of course, Oak's favourite topic of conversation, a shining example and the foundation of his speech to aspiring young trainers. Though Ash only had a handful of pitiful victories to his name and a Team Rocket conspiracy. Ty's true thoughts on Ash however, would only spill after a drink or two.

Ty had taken the new Pokedex, his Onix and a handful of empty Pokeballs before heading back to his cluttered room in Pallet. He had thought about taking up Oak's offer of loaning him some more Pokemon but declined. He didn't need the Professor's charity and besides, he had started with only one before. Onix, for a large cluster of boulders, was and had always been a rather sensitive soul. The Pokemon had once almost dislocated Ty's shoulder with a playful nudge for affection. Imagine a young, rambunctious Growlithe inside a line of large, heavy rocks. And they were large. Onix was unusually big for his species, it was often acknowledged. Ty had caught him early in to his journey, boldly hoping for it to make a mockery of the Pewter City Gym Leader. And that it did. No elemental favours, no hidden advantage, just one beast's strength against another. Ty's giant Onix, though inexperienced and untrained had exhausted the infamous Pewter City beast like a wild Arcanine attacking the alpha for dominance over the pack. Strategy guides rarely favoured rock Pokemon but this strategy was too simple to be printed in text. Onix had quickly earned Ty his first Gym badge and also his respect.

Ty knew what he would need to take on his journey, it wasn't his first, but looking around his room they would be difficult to locate. Boxes stacked upon boxes lined the walls and most surfaces. He didn't even know what most contained. Most likely more posters, mugs and collector books boasting pictures of him and a team that no longer existed. Making a start, he reached into one of the open boxes he could see contained clothes and plucked out a few T-shirts. Next he rummaged around the drawers in his desk, retrieving a wallet and a creased trainer card. In his dresser he found some socks, underwear and oddly, a Pokeflute. He decided to buy new potions in Viridian as he suspected his were expired and didn't fancy carrying around promotional items containing his younger, chubbier face. Ty folded his clothes with military precision and arranged everything neatly into a tan leather bag. It was rather empty but it was less to carry and he could buy anything else that he might need. He opened the door to his room, gifting it one last disgusted glance before dashing back to unpin a map of Kanto from above his bed, just incase.

It was rather strange crossing the invisible line from Pallet Town into the wild grass. Although Route 1 was a popular destination, the path was overgrown and unkempt. The only clue that this was the right direction was a modest wooden sign half hidden under moss. Tree branches arched naturally giving the path the feeling of an enclosed corridor. Had it been just as daunting seven years ago or had Ty been a different person back then, untouched by the realities of genuine danger and physical loss. Though he hadn't yet released Onix, he kept his ball gripped between sweaty fingers for ease of mind.

The sun was just setting as Ty caught glimpse of Viridian City. His journey had been swift and anticlimactic. The distance seemed much further when you're chasing every squeak and squawk into the bush hoping to fill your Pokeballs. The lack of wild Pokemon hadn't bothered him on this trip. Though Ty only had one Pokemon it would be an insult to his old team to attempt to capture any more in Kanto. Besides, Rattata actually only tend to forage at night and the Pidgey shit themselves and fly off at the sound of a heavy foot. Onix didn't need the experience.

Once in the city, he found a cafe that was still open and took a seat outside beside a pretty fountain shaped like a Horsea. It was dark now but still relatively warm. He dropped his head back and sighed, his legs aching more than he had predicted. Perhaps this had been a mistake. He had been experienced and resourceful, now he was older, irrational and anxious about being..

"Hey, don't I know you?"

..recognised.

"I don't think so." Ty answered without lifting his head.

"No, I do. I definitely do." Ty didn't raise his head but tilted it towards the person in annoyance.

She had to have been no older than 14, blonde, wearing a hideous Butterfree themed dress and displaying 8 Kanto badges proudly on the straps of her backpack.

"On your way to Victory road? I wouldn't bother" Ty scoffed, attempting to distract her train of thought.

The girl frowned. "Im tougher than I look! Let me prove it in a Pokemon battle"

"As opposed to a thumb battle?" Ty didn't mean to imply that she was unworthy of the Indigo Plateau, she had taken it that way but he didn't care to correct her. "Some other time kid, I only have an Onix"

"An Onix?" The girl pulled off her backpack, pulled out a book and manically flipped through the pages. "I knew I knew your face. I never forget one." She pointed to a picture of a younger Ty stood proudly besides a Blastoise, Onix and Pidgeot.

"You're the 45th Kanto League Champion!"

Someone had done their research.

"Look, kid.." Ty rolled his eyes. He expected some manic Pokefan to shove their sticker collection and pen into his face somewhere outside of Pallet but not so soon. "I'll sign what-"

"I heard you went crazy." The girl closed the book and held it tightly to her chest. Her eyes a little wider, her stance uneasy.

'Crazy? No! What?" Ty finally sat up, frowning.

"I heard you were so afraid of losing your fame after Lance beat you that you threw your Blastoise's Pokeball into the ocean and told everyone it was stolen by Team Rocket."

"What? Arceous, no!" Ty stood up snatching his satchel. "That's what.. who would do that. Who said- you know what. Never mind." Ty shrugged and left, heading towards the building with the giant glowing letter 'P'. He was too achy and It was too late in the day to educate a spritely young brat.

A Pokemon centre wouldn't guarantee him solitude but it would guarantee him a hot meal and maybe a decent night's rest.

"Good evening Nurse Joy" Ty forced a smile. If anyone deserved what little curtesy he had left, Nurse Joy did.

"Hello and welcome to the Pokemon Centre. Can I restore your tired or injured Pokemon?"

Ty still hadn't released Onix though he was tempted to release the giant Pokemon on top of that obnoxious little sh-

"Oh, no. My Pokemon is fine. I would appreciate a room though, if you have any."

Nurse Joy dropped her smile. "Oh I'm sorry. All our rooms are occupied this evening. This centre is very popular for new trainers and experienced trainers heading towards Victory Road. However, If you hand me your Trainer ID I'd be happy to place you on a reserve list should someone decide to leave early."

Ty tapped his fingers on the counter. He didn't know of any guest houses nearby and he shuddered at the thought of spending his first night on the hard ground, though that was inevitable at some point. Not all Pokemon Centres had rooms, but most did, especially in the larger cities. They also provided free meals, showers and telephones to call home. Mostly they were used as a hub to meet other trainers and of course, treat injured and poisoned Pokemon.

"Sure, worth a try right." He handed over his ID and turned to scan the population of the centre. It wasn't busy in the communal lounge at this time, no one wanted to battle in the dark.

"Oh."

"Oh?" Ty arched his eyebrow.

"Our Champion Suite is available."

"Champion Suite?'

'Yes, it's a larger room reserved only for Regional Champions. As you are a Kanto League winner, you're welcome to use it." Nurse Joy smiled as she slid back his Trainer ID.

Ty swiped his room key. 'Suite' was an understatement, the room resembled more of a palace than temporary lodgings. well, to a weary traveller perhaps. There was a double bed, en-suite, a small lounge with a library and desk, a compact little kitchen with a dining table that could comfortably seat six and a patio leading out to a private garden. It still had a red and white theme, though it was nothing like the standard rooms boasting two cramped bunk beds and a sink. Suddenly Ty was in a much better mood. As he flung himself on the bed, he made a mental note to ask Nurse Joy which other Poke Centres housed Champion Suites.


	3. 3: New Island

Somewhere along Route 12, a young boy with tangled curly brown hair and bright grey eyes dropped himself excitedly onto scabby knees. He wore shorts with too many pockets, a grey Silph Co. t-shirt and a rucksack far too large for his small frame. He curled his hand over his Pokedex and squinted his eyes attempting to read the screen against the midday sunlight.

"Thirty nine.. forty... one hundred and forty one! Alright!"

He raised an open hand up towards the Blastoise beside him but the Pokemon was fairly oblivious to human customs. Instead of returning the high-five with one of his claws, the giant creature lowered his head and licked the boy's palm.

"Close enough buddy." The boy chuckled, drying his fingers down the side of his thigh. Blastoise's saliva only added to the weeks of road dust and grass stains. It had been a while since the young trainer had slept in an actual bed. After 8 badges he was used to sleeping rough and besides, wild Pokemon didn't tend to graze under the scratchy cotton sheets of the Pokecentre bunks.

"Professor Oak is gonna be stoked. It's almost complete."

"Blast." The Pokemon replied happily.

The boy placed his Pokedex back into one of his pockets and looked ahead, thoughtfully.

"Where next?"

He tapped a dirty finger against his chin.

"BLAST!"

The Pokemon raised his giant head, his stance poised for attack. The boy looked up hearing it too. The familiar sound of air cracking under beating wings. Blastoise shifted instinctively in front of the boy, shielding him from the possible threat, his cannons drawn.

"It's ok Blastoise, I don't think that's a wild Pokemon". The boy eased Blastoise, patting his tough outer shell. His eyes followed a Dragonite as it glided down from the sky to land gracefully beside them. Blastoise grunted as the friendly Dragonite reached into a messenger bag and retrieved an envelope.

"For me?" The boy inquired as the Pokemon nodded cheerfully.

He took the envelope from the Dragon cautiously. It was heavier than he expected.

"I wonder who it's from." He tore the paper to reveal a small device with an odd looking lens in the centre. Before he could inspect the gadget further a small, hauntingly beautiful woman appeared. As she bowed, the boy wiggled his fingers through the holographic image fascinated.

"Greetings Indigo League Champion. I bear an Invitation.."

The woman began, her voice robotic and flat.

"..You have been chosen to join a select group of Pokemon Trainers at a special gathering. It will be hosted by my Master, the world's greatest Pokemon Trainer, at his palace on New Island. A chartered ferry will leave from Old Shore Wharf to take you to the Island this afternoon. Only Trainers who present this invitation will be admitted. If you decide to attend you must reply at once. My Master awaits you."

The woman bowed once more before being replaced by a intricate looking map.

"Blast?"

"Blast." Repeated the boy to his Pokemon. He turned to the Dragonite in hopes of a more detailed explanation. Instead he was gifted with a card containing two boxes. One labelled 'Yes' and one labelled 'No'.

"I've never heard of New Island." Excitement quickly followed the boy's confusion. "This Trainer must have some really rare Pokemon if he's the world's greatest." Naively, the boy could only think about his incomplete Pokedex. He knew Professor Oak had given many trainers the same task but he wanted to be the first to accomplish it. Without delay he took the card from the Dragonite, punched a hole in the 'Yes' box with his fingernail and handed it back. "What have we got to lose?" the boy said, flashing a smile towards his Blastoise.

The Dragonite bowed its head before taking off back into the sky.

Both Blastoise and the boy watched the messenger Pokemon disappear just as quickly as it had arrived, silently and elegantly behind a dark cloud. The sun swiftly followed and the temperature soon began to lower.

"..Where the hell is Old Shore?"

"Blast."

It turned out that Old Shore Wharf was closer than the boy had suspected. Even so, by the time he had reached the harbour he was drenched. Not that being wet bothered him. Blastoise often enjoyed a shower from his water cannons and couldn't understand why his trainer didn't. However, the weather was getting more dramatic by the minute, 30ft waves crashed over the concrete defences and rain thundered down like a surf attack. Black clouds circled in no distinguishable direction and the surrounding landscape lit up with each bolt of lightening before fading back to darkness. The boy found refuge in the ferry terminal and so, by the looks of it, did a hundred other people.

"ATTENTION PLEASE"

He didn't need to enquire about the ferry to New Island, it seemed everyone else had already asked. Officer Jenny continued:

"Due to the severe weather conditions, all Ferries from and to Old Shore Wharf have been delayed until further notice."

Her statement was followed by a unanimous groan. The terminal was almost over crowded with travellers and their Pokemon. Most took advantage of the delay by organising the contents of their bags or folding clothes into a temporary bed. The boy decided to get comfortable himself, his mouth stretched to one side in thought as he rummaged around his bag. It had been the first opportunity he had to think over the day's events. His gut felt uneasy but his curiosity had been peaked. Perhaps this was all a test, like Surge's puzzle in Vermillion Gym. He had solved that one in no time at all. The more powerful a Pokemon trainer was the more ostentatious they tended to be. Though the bad weather had to have been coincidence. As he took a seat, his knees began to bounce irritably. The boy's downfall was his impatience even though he was yet to face the consequences of a quick defeat. The bigger the obstacle the bigger the reward. He just had to think of a way to New Island and meet this self proclaimed Pokemon Master.

"Excuse me. Could you please sign this for me?"

The boy looked up meeting the eyes of a girl, similar in age. She was holding out a popular Pokefan magazine and a Clefairy shaped pen.

"Oh. I don't remember taking this one." The boy said awkwardly whilst studying the open page. The upper half of it contained a photograph of him smiling on the shoulders of his Blastoise. The lower half contained a short, poorly written interview he didn't recall giving.

"No problem." He took the Clefairy pen politely and scribbled 'Tyler Birch' across the section that asked what was the Indigo League Champions favourite element. The answer was apparently 'Electric'.

"No relation." Tyler joked, referring to Professor Birch as he handed back the pen.

"Thanks." the girl replied, tucking the pen into her bag. "My name's Izzy".

"Ty." the boy confirmed. "Want to take a seat, Izzy?"

The girl smiled excitedly and quickly took the seat beside him. She was much better presented than he was for a trainer. Her blue dress was clean and dry, her long dark hair was combed and held neatly out of her face by a white ribbon. She wore knee high socks under pink wellington boots and a clear plastic poncho suitable for the present weather.

"Are you travelling to New Island?" The girl asked.

"It doesn't look like it" Ty answered flatly, looking out towards the rough waters.

"I overheard some trainers talking about it earlier. I'm heading over to Johto myself. Have you been?"

"No but I plan to!' he smiled, turning back towards the girl. "I just have to finish something here first" He winked and tapped his Pokedex.

"Well, good luck with that. If this weather ever clears, I'll sail to Johto, win all eight badges and beat you in the Johto League!"

Ty laughed. "I have a title to defend here before I can let you beat me in Johto."

It was compulsory for every Champion League winner to return after their victory to uphold their title. Though rarely did they keep it. 12 months was an adequate amount of time for a rival to study their opponent whilst the champion spent the time distracted on a victory parade. 6 months in and Ty was already beginning to regret his own win. He hadn't pushed himself and his team that hard for two years to be in magazines or to sign autographs. Though the sponsorship money was certainly welcome, Ty looked forward to not being the 46th Indigo League Champion. Until then, he would avoid publicity and keep his attention on completing the Pokedex for Professor Oak.

"That shouldn't be difficult. Your Pidgeot looked really strong on the TV" She was referring to his championship win, the final rounds were always televised. The only people who didn't view the League battles on television were watching it live in the 90,000 seat stadium. The popularity of the games were the reason Ty shot to fame as a celebrity youngster and why he was having this conversation.

"She is." Ty agreed, proudly.

He stood up with a sudden realisation. "My Pidgeot is really strong."

Izzy tilted her head, puzzled.

"It was really nice to meet you Izzy" He said as he picked up his bag and headed for the exit.

"You too" Izzy responded curiously as she raised a hand goodbye.

Outside the Terminal, Ty pulled a Pokeball from his belt. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before.

"I need your help Pidgeot."

The large bird squawked affectionately as Ty patted her feathered head and stretched out a wing to help him mount. It wasn't the first time he had flown on Pidgeot though he preferred to walk. It just felt degrading to use his Pokemon as a means of transport, after all, they were like family to him. Today was an understandable exception however and he would remember to reward the flying type with a couple of juicy Rattatas to munch on on their return.

The flight was as treacherous as expected though Pidgeot took it in her stride. Her powerful wings and quick attack helped them easily avoid the unusually frequent bolts of lightening hitting the surf below.

The waves grew taller and without cresting merged into the dark sky giving little warning of their approach. He clung to Pidgeot as she stretched her neck forward to become more air streamed before diving through the wall of water and popping out the other side, flapping her wings to get higher. Ty wasn't doing quite as well as his Pokemon. He was shaking and his hand was numb clutching the device from Dragonite displaying the map to New Island. With chattering teeth, he leaned closer to Pidgeot, attempting to share the warmth of her feathers.

The journey felt like hours and though the map indicated they were getting close, they could see no evidence of land.

"TAILWIND!'

Ty commanded, noticing a vortex beginning to form below them. Pidgeot squawked obediently as she released a powerful gust of wind from beneath her wing. The attack hit with immaculate precision causing the waterspout to evaporate before it had chance to throw them.

"Good job!' he complimented the bird as he scouted for any more signs of danger. Satisfied with their safety he turned behind him to spot any trainers stupid enough to follow them. They seemed to be alone.

Though the map was hard to read and the rain forced Ty's eyes to barely open, they eventually pierced through the storm into a pocket of warm, clear air. Ty's ears ached from the constant howl of wind which had now suddenly died.

"What the.."

Pidgeot glided a little more easily in the stability of clear weather though Ty wasn't any more comfortable. He looked around, confused. They seemed to be in a large cylinder of unnaturally perfect weather surrounded by a wall of thick, grey cloud. Below them, the ocean was calm and still. Was this the eye of the storm? none of it made logical sense though the map on the device indicated arrival.

"There!" Ty pointed to a tiny island floating in the centre of the clear water. "Is that it?"

The island, if you could call it that, was hideous. It resembled more of a floating mass of debris from far away but on closer inspection he could make out spires and turbines, asymmetrical windows and odd columns with no structural purpose. It didn't look manmade although the materials were certainly synthetic. Surely no one could inhabit such a place. As sinister as it appeared, Pidgeot needed to rest and Ty shuddered at the thought of returning back into the storm.

"Set me down over there". Ty shouted, motioning to part of the island not obstructed by the strange architecture. He could dry off and make himself a little more presentable before finding the entrance.

"My Master bids you welcome to New Island"

"ARCEOUS!" Ty clutched his heart from wringing out his t-shirt. He hadn't even noticed the woman observing him. She was covered from head to toe in an old black dress and her voice was even more monotone and lifeless than it had been in the invitation. Her eyes seemed glassy and distant and her posture was not unusual but unnatural for a human. He wouldn't have been surprised if she had collapsed back into a Ditto and this had all been one big joke.

"Eh.. Hi" was all he could say before she spoke again.

"Would you kindly present your invitation."

"Oh. This. Yes." Ty handed her the device. As she took ownership, the holographic map disappeared and the gadget seemed to die.

"Please, this way. My Master awaits your arrival."

Ty glanced back at the strange clouds surrounding them and then up at the cathedral like building. This didn't feel right, nothing about this was natural. Feelings aside, he pulled over a dry t-shirt and rushed to catch up to the mysterious woman. They travelled together in silence up an uneven staircase carved into the stone until they reached a pair of large, iron doors which opened almost immediately. The interior of the building was just as strange as the outside. Each pillar seemed to be a different width and height. The ceiling was impossibly high and all the furniture seemed like it was moulded from the metal floors and walls by a being with no understanding of the human body.

"Am I early?" Ty asked, scanning the room for anyone else. He couldn't have been the only one who thought to travel to island by Pokemon.

"All Trainers worthy of an audience with my Master are present."

He laughed not knowing if she was joking, though she hadn't given evidence of a blossoming comedic career in the short time they'd spent together.

"Please release your Pokemon from their Pokeballs"

Ty thought that an odd request though odd had been the day's most frequent theme. He had no issue with releasing his Pokemon, in fact he was glad to have been asked. The company of his team in the large, empty room would ease him somewhat.

"It will not be long before my Master's intentions are clear".

Perhaps they were a fan. Or better yet, wanted to battle. Ty released his Pokemon one-by-one. Even Onix looked small in the cavernous room. His hopes for looking intimidating to the mysterious host quickly dwindled though he was still confident in a victory. It wasn't unheard of for wealthy Pokemon Trainers to wine and dine a Champion league winner in the hopes of a Pokemon Battle. The financier would almost never win but he or she would have an impressive story for future dinner parties.

Ty patted his Blastoise above it's nostrils and took a seat in one of the smaller chairs. Pidgeot began to groom herself, picking out ruffled feathers damaged by the storm and Onix curled itself around Ty's seat protectively. He hoped the host would have some exotic Pokemon he hadn't seen before. Hopefully something powerful. Hopefully something scary.

"May I ask, who-" Ty was cut off as each light in the room began to fade. The glassy-eyed woman stepped forward.

"You are about to meet my Master. The time has come for your encounter with the greatest Pokemon Master on earth".

Ty would have rolled his eyes at the dramatics had they not suddenly focused on a creature floating down from the ceiling. As it reached what little light in the room remained, Ty gasped. His wish had been granted. It was truly hideous. Grey and hairless with too much skin for it's body. Its bones protruded at weird angles and it looked pained to be alive. The most unnerving thing about its appearance however was it's lack of mouth.

"Yes, the world's greatest Pokemon Master is also the most powerful Pokemon on Earth. This is the ruler of New Island and soon, the world."

Ty looked from the woman back to the Pokemon in disbelief. He had no idea what to say or what to do. This had to be a joke.

"Blast" Blastoise shifted closer to Ty cautiously.

He suspected from his own Pokemon's reactions that they were not comfortable around this creature either. Regardless, it was three against one. Ty stood.

"I am Tyler Birch from Pallet Town and I am the 45th Indigo League Champion."

"I know who you are, child"

Ty stuttered. The woman had begun to speak but the grey creature had finished her sentence. He didn't know how that were possible, especially since it was missing lips. There was only one way to be sure it even was a Pokemon. He reached into his pocket and pointed his Pokedex at the creature.

 _"Mewtwo, the Psychic Pokémon. It was created by genetic manipulation. However, even though the scientific power of humans created this Pokémon's body, they failed to endow Mewtwo with a compassionate heart."_

"Genetic?.." Ty repeated, dumbfounded.

"Correct" Mewtwo answered with zero emotion.

"Why am I here?" Ty asked, looking around the room as if to highlight the emptiness of it.

"I have asked myself the same question, child. Many times." Mewtwo floated forward, his attention now turning towards Ty's Pokemon. They had removed any distance between themselves and Ty, a clear warning not to touch. If Mewtwo had been unsure, Blastoise lowered it's head ready to ram it's skull.

"To battle?"

"Only the most worthy of opponents may bear witness to my true powers"

Ty shifted nervously. "And what if I refuse?"

"Refuse?" Mewtwo questioned as if that had never been an option.

"As you are the 45th Indigo league Champion, I have deemed you worthy, human. Your Pokemon have not experienced power like mine nor will they ever again. If you wish to leave this place, I would ask that you comply."

Mewtwo's words were followed by the unpleasant sound of metal grinding against metal. The whole back wall began to open, revealing a large outdoor arena. The trainer turned towards the glassy-eyed woman but now useless, she simply turned around and glided back into the shadows.

"Blast! Blast!" Blastoise snarled as if to accept the challenge on Ty's behalf. Before Ty could question the situation he was standing on one side of the arena with Mewtwo on the other. He looked around confused and disorientated, patting his hands down his body to confirm it had travelled with him. The Psychic Pokemon had also used his powers to teleport Blastoise, Onix and Pidgeot into the centre and who were no more impressed by the trick. It didn't look like he had much of a choice now.

"Very well" Ty called out. "You want to battle, we'll give you a battle. Though I must warn you, I haven't lost one yet!"

Mewtwo raised his hand. His strange bulbous fingers began to circle hypnotically. It was the most movement Ty had seen since meeting the Pokemon. He wasn't sure what the movement indicated until Onix began to levitate off the ground. The rock Pokemon screeched as it struggled against an invisible force, writhing in panic, its large body unused to being so easily manipulated. Ty watched in disbelief. Mewtwo had been right, he had not experienced power like this. Onix screeched again, it's head and tail flinging violently trying to escape the purple aura of the psychic move.

"Hey, we haven't begun yet. I haven't even chosen my first Pokemon. Put Onix down!"

Mewtwo did put Onix down, as if he were skimming a stone across a calm lake. Ty had to drop to his stomach to avoid being taken out by his Pokemon as Onix rolled over him before smashing into the wall behind. The force from the impact shattered every pane in the bizarre shaped windows. The shards rained down into the giant dust cloud now surrounding Onix's motionless body.

"Onix return!"

Ty held his Pokeball, his eyes fixed on Mewtwo. He had never seen his Onix so easily conquered nor had he been that close to his own instant death. It became very apparent, as Ty got back on his feet, that his opponent had no desire to battle by human rules. Either way, this would be his first loss.

"I forfeit the match. You win!"

Ty pocketed Onix and retrieved the rest of his Pokeballs. Before he could return Blastoise and Pidgeot however, the empty balls rattled and began to float from his hand. He tried to close his fingers to catch them but his hand remained still in the air, as if holding an invisible plate. The powerful Pokemon had paralysed his limb.

"ARGH! That hurts! What are you doing? You've won. Let me return my Pokemon!"

"Pathetic child. You are unworthy of your Pokemon so I shall take them from you."

"You can't do that!" He shouted, using his free arm to unsuccessfully lower his other.

"I'm gifting them their freedom from the tiny prisons you humans created for them. My purpose is to free all Pokemon. Humans created me so I can destroy them."

Ty's arm bent unnaturally, his flesh bulging from hand to elbow as he screamed in pain. Mewtwo barely flinched as Ty's bone snapped backwards and pierced his skin.

"Blast! Blast!" Blastoise growled angrily sinking it's claws into the earth for stability as the cannons on its back began dumping gallons of water into the air. The power forced the water Pokemon backwards leaving a short trail of deep claw marks in the ground before it regained it's balance.

"Blastoise, NO!"

Once the water had resided, he was distraught to see Mewtwo had taken no damage. Protected by a force field it had formed around it's misshapen body. Though the creature could not convey emotion, it was obviously pissed.

"You would rather share the same fate as this boy?.. Very well"

Blastoise turned back to Ty with a look of sadness and confusion. The Pokemon was unused to failing his trainer. Ty wanted to comfort him but there was no time. Mewtwo's eyes had rolled into the back of it's skull revealing two chilling white orbs.

"Blast" Blastoise called out, this time to Pidgeot.

"Geeeee-OT!" Pidgeot returned a call in understanding.

Everything happened so fast.

With little hesitation, Pidgeot swooped down and plucked Ty from the arena with her mighty talons wrapping around his shoulders.

Blastoise roared again, thumping his giant fists into the ground as Mewtwo raised his bulbous fingers in the direction of Pidgeot and Ty. Whatever Mewtwo had planned to do, his attack was jilted by another extremely powerful Hydro Pump. But again no damage was taken. Ty screamed and fought against Pidgeot's grip as he realised what the Pokemon was doing. Blastoise knew his attacks were useless against Mewtwo but he continued battling. He was distracting it.

"FLY BACK! IT WILL KILL HIM. FLY BACK!" Ty screamed as the bird climbed higher, ignoring his commands. He struggled in the bird's vice grip, blood dripping from his wound but she was determined not to let go until he was away from harm. Mewtwo was right. He was just a powerless human.

"BLAST!" the Pokemon roared below, thumping angrily at it's own tough leather hide. Ty could hear the frantic pounding echoing around the arena. They were already quite high up but he was still blinded by the flash of blue light emitted from Mewtwo's eyes. After his vision regained he searched the arena for his starter Pokemon. Nothing remained.

Pidgeot squawked once more, tightening it's grip around Ty before disappearing back into the cover of thick black cloud.

"Blastoise!" Ty awoke, his knuckles white from gripping the sheets. His chest bounced furiously as he pushed his damp hair from his face. His eyes blinked open as he recalled the familiar surroundings of the Champion suite. It had been a nightmare. Though, can you really call a memory a nightmare?

Ty stood up from the bed and stiffly hopped over to the bathroom. He filled the basin with cold water before splashing it on his face. Sadly this was a familiar routine in Ty's morning. Rarely did he sleep well. He looked up at the mirror, beaded water dripping from the strands of his fringe. He needed a shave he thought, even after one day. He needed to shower too. Long gone were the days when he could sprint from town to town with blackened nails and unwashed clothes.

After his shower, he plucked the new blue Pokedex from his bedside table and opened a search engine. His fingers hovered over the keyboard as he pondered on what to type.

'M' 'E' 'W' 'T' 'W' 'O'

Nothing. He thought again, clearing the search bar.

'N' 'E' 'W' '-' 'I' 'S' 'L' 'A' 'N' D'

Unsurprisingly there were no results for that either. Even after five years, no one had discovered that terrible place. Well, no one who could remember. There were similar themes of New Island told in stories to young children but no one knew where they originated. Ty sighed and fell back on his bed, his eyes blinking at the ceiling just as his stomach began to grumble.

His fingers traced over the light flesh of his scar running the length of his forearm. He had complete Johto and he had to win the league. If he did that he knew he would receive another invitation to New Island.


	4. 4: Viridian Forest

In this world, Pokemon Centres were regarded as the hub of the community. The base of operations. Each one acted as a waypoint between destinations and a beacon following defeat. These buildings housed state of the art technology to ensure each type of Pokemon received the appropriate treatment from paralysis, burns and any other elemental damage sustained in battle. Stationed in these infirmaries were a plethora of medical staff working closely under the strict eye of Nurse Joy. From doctors to nurses and even Chansey, injured Pokemon were well looked after, should they require it.

Though not all Pokemon Centres were exclusively treatment facilities, the trainer's needs were also taken into account. By simply presenting your Trainer ID you instantly gained access to the humble amenities on offer in that branch. Common amenities included beds and showers as well as a communal lounge for networking. Larger centres could also house arenas, training areas and trading stations, depending on the size and location.

Additionally, a canteen in each Pokemon Centre would serve hot and cold foods throughout the day. After all, it wouldn't look good for the League to let anyone starve to death on the road. Though that wasn't unheard of. Trainers as young as ten were not always skilled in the art of wilderness survival, especially the urban kids. However, though this service was free of charge, some trainers avoided this luxury, preferring the more 'old school' approach. Rarely did those trainers complete their journey unharmed, if at all. Which was why visits to facilities like Pokemon Centres were made more desirable by healthy funding from the Pokemon League.

After dressing, collecting his belongings and sadly bidding farewell to the room, Ty crossed the building in the direction of this Centre's canteen. By day the place was much more populated. As Joy had mentioned, Viridian was an extremely popular city. It was where a large percentage of amateur trainers began their journey around Kanto. Not every trainer received their first Pokemon from Professor Oak and began on Route 1. Pokemon could be gifted or bought or passed down from generation to generation. The children with no means of acquiring a Pokemon this way, like Ty, would have to apply to their local Professor for consideration to choose between their regional starter Pokemon. Everyone else began on Route 2.

As well as rookie trainers, Viridian was also popular with experienced trainers holding 7 or more badges. These older trainers came to rest and prepare before challenging the Viridian City Gym Leader or heading along Route 22 to Victory Road. This dense population of trainers and Pokemon gave Viridian it's bustling atmosphere and vibrant culture. Something Ty had not familiarised himself with in the five years spent hidden and alone.

Ty took a seat in an empty booth in the corner of the canteen. He'd managed to pour a coffee, wedge a cheese sandwich into his mouth and stuff a couple more in his bag without catching anyone's eye. As he stirred sugar into the beverage, his eyes hovered over the old Kanto map he'd laid out on the table. He took a taste of coffee and placed his fingertip on his current location tracing it slowly up Route 2 through Viridian Forest towards Pewter. There he would find the entrance to the Diglett cave where Onix would guide him out on to Route 11 and they'd pan across to Vermilion. He had been that way before and recalled it being safe enough not to have to catch and train anymore Pokemon.

"Do you mind if me and my friend sit-"

"Fuck off" He grunted dismissively before taking another sip of coffee and surveying the map.

The plan from there would be to catch a cruise liner heading to Johto. Hopefully one of the larger vessels where he could bunk alone. Once in Johto he could find the nearest Pokemon centre and form a strategy from there. He took another bite from a cheese sandwich and hoped for the buzz from the coffee to kick in soon. He was no longer a morning person and would need his wits about him in Viridian Forest.

Satisfied with his plan, Ty collected his belongings, left the canteen and slapped the room key on the counter back at Nurse Joy before heading out. Thanks to his overactive sleeping pattern he had begun this leg of the journey before the main bulk of trainers had chance to congest route 2 with their dawdling. The streets were also clear, short of a few Market vendors setting up their stalls and Ty made it to Route 2 without too much bother. The sun was just beginning to rise and the air was cool and tickled his nostrils with each inhale. He had missed this. The open road, the tranquil scenery and the friendly locals waving to travellers. Professor Oak had been right. He had needed to get out again. Even if his calves were still tender after the short walk from Pallet, he was glad to have adventure again.

"FUCK!" Ty yelled, clutching his head.

He looked around searching for the object that had struck the side of his skull.

"Sorry! I thought you were a Pokemon."

Ty frowned, raising his hand sarcastically as the young trainer ran to collect his Pokeball. The boy was young, probably around ten. His hair was short and his shoes still white which confirmed his status as a new trainer.

"You may want to clean my blood off it first" Ty mocked as he resumed rubbing his now swelling head.

"Hey, are you a Pokemon trainer?" The boy questioned, examining the ball for any actual blood.

Ty rolled his eyes as he plucked his trilby from the ground, patting away any dirt. "I might be."

"Then we should battle!"

"What have you got?" Ty asked with little enthusiasm nodding towards the singular Pokeball on the boy's belt.

"Oh." The boy smiled "It's pretty rare. You've probably never seen one before"

Ty sighed, looking back towards Viridian to see how busy the route was starting to get. He was eager to reach the forest before anyone had chance to disturb the Beedrill. although a battle would give him an excuse to exercise Onix before the Diglett cave.

"Ugh. Fine." Ty agreed. "Make it quick."

A thin beam of scarlet light expanded into the space between them before revealing the giant rock Pokemon. Onix roared in delight happy to finally be released as it coiled its massive body before stretching upwards, half a dozen metres from the ground. Ty had almost forgotten how big and intimidating his Onix was. It was after all, what first attracted him to the idea of catching the Rock Pokemon.

"I choose you!"

Both Ty and Onix tilted their heads in unison at the sudden appearance of their foe. It was barely larger than one of Onix's eyes and shifted nervously in his shadow.

"Erm.." Ty was lost for words as his confident opponent wasted no time in providing his Pokemon with its first attack.

"Bellsprout, Wrap!"

"Erm.." Ty repeated.

Onix shifted into the centre of the invisible arena as the tiny Pokemon flung its boneless body against one of the smaller boulders forming his tail.

"Gross" Ty sputtered as the Bellsprout began to pulsate grotesquely. It's flaccid body pulsated and stretched, searching for traction against the rock. It's strange open mouth expelled repulsive sucking sounds as it gummed Ty's Pokemon with little effect.

Perplexed, Onix turned to Ty for instruction.

"I don't .. I don't wanna kill it" Ty answered. "Maybe like, scrape it off?"

Gently and slowly, Onix lowered it's tail housing the tangled Grass Pokemon. It kept sucking at Onix's exterior before the giant Pokemon simply began sliding along the ground leaving behind a meager mess of root and leaf.

"Bellsprout.."

"Yeah, I would definitely take that to the Pokemon Centre" Ty spoke flatly through clenched teeth and tightened jaw. "Want me to help you, like, scrape it up?"

The trainer began to cry as he returned the beaten Grass Type. He had to have just caught it, possibly his first battle with it too. It had to have been tough. Though Ty hoped the kid would be ok, he motioned his head along the path and him and his Onix rapidly continued their journey North.

After a short but positive reunion with his Bellsprout smusher, Ty returned Onix and ventured in to the heavy foliage of Viridan forest. Though it had to have still been morning, the canopy of branches overhead allowed little light to pass through. On the ground, the bush was just as dense and alive with sound, buzzing and squawking from thousands of wild Pokemon. Though Ty did not fear darkness or the Pokemon who lived here, he was wary of getting lost.

It's hard to put into words the exact size of Viridian Forest. Many swore it grew and expanded faster than a thicket should. Even the most experienced Bug Catcher could not always recall the way home. It was if the trees liked to move. A path would end before one hardwood and resume behind another.

The shade had now cooled Ty's body so he raised his collar to keep warm. His hand clutched vigilantly to the strap of his satchel and his eyes focused on the trail. In such terrain you cannot tell which direction you're walking and for how long and soon what little light entered began to fade.

"Shit" Ty muttered, his breath now visible in the crisp air.

He presumed he could make it through the forest before nightfall and he had no Pokemon who could start him a fire. He would have to leave the trail in search of help. His first instinct was to smell the air, searching for any sign of smoke or food but to no avail. The forest didn't allow any wind in to carry scents on. Defeated, he took a seat by the base of a tree, nesting himself between the roots and pulling his knees tight towards his chest. He lowered his head, his eyes began to close. He was tired, his body ached though the cold was starting to numb that pain. Perhaps he would just rest, just for a second.

"Hey there, are injured?"

Ty looked up from behind his knees, squinting from the harshness of a torchlight.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine" Ty lied, struggling to his feet. Without warmth, he had lost feeling in his fingers and toes.

As the light fell from him and onto the ground he could see the silhouette of a person.

"Are you alone?"

Ty coughed, the coldness now breaching his insides. He nodded, raising the back of his arm to cover his mouth.

"Flareon, Ember".

The silhouette illuminated displaying the owner of the flashlight. It was a girl, around Ty's age, blonde and pretty like her Flareon. Ty struggled towards the fire, rubbing his hands together like a fly.

"Th-Thanks"

"Are you hungry?" The girl asked?

Ty nodded, he had food in his bag but his fingers had been too numb to open the packaging.

"Here." The girl opened her thermos and handed it to him. With little hesitation he knocked back the warm Tamato berry soup.

"What's your name?" The girl asked, taking back the thermos.

"Ty"

He could comfortably speak now he was no longer shuddering.

"Aren't you a little old to be a new Trainer"

Ty frowned.

"I'm not a beginner. I just.. forgot how long it took to get through this damn forest."

"You and me both" She replied, her blue eyes circling their surroundings before taking a seat on the opposite side of the fire.

"Why is your Pokemon not out? You really shouldn't travel alone, especially in a place like this."

Ty pulled his satchel around his body to sit in his lap as he searched for his Pokedex.

"He's an Onix and I'm fairly sure these trees are protected by some hippie department of the League. Wouldn't look good on me if we were to leave Kanto in ruin."

He opened his Pokedex, his eyes set on the display screen. 4am. He must have dozed off.

"Leave Kanto? Where are you heading?"

Ty frowned, returning his Pokedex and resuming his hand rubbing.

"What's with all the questions. Who are you anyway, what are you doing out here alone in the middle of the night? voyeurism"

The girl scowled at the crude comment.

"The girl who saved your life is named Amber." She pat the Flareon who now sat comfortably in her lap.

"And my Flareon and I are heading to the Indigo Plateau." she stated proudly.

Ty scoffed and stood up, pulling his bag tight over his shoulder.

"What? You don't believe me? I'll show you my badges" Amber called out, cooly.

"No, I believe you. It's just the Indigo-... never mind."

Ty went to leave before he could continue the conversation. He wasn't the easiest person to converse with, especially on such a tender subject.

"Where are you going? It's still dark, you'll get lost" The girl was irritably candid. "We still have another hour or so until morning. Why don't you sit down, keep warm. You can tell me about the Indigo League."

Ty paused, taking a deep breath. She was right. She was also kind. He owed her his time. He took a seat back by the fire, making himself a little more comfortable.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked.

Amber leant forward, her lips upturned as she scanned his face before her mouth fell open.

"Oh my gosh, a thousand apologies your highness. I did not recognise you!"

Ty narrowed his eyes.

"No, should I?"

"Tyler Birch, you haven't heard that name before? Any crazy rumours about murdering his Pokemon or being the secret mastermind behind Team Rocket or setting fire to orphanages. Anything like that?"

Amber shook her head, blinking uncomfortably.

Ty took her thermos, taking another sip of Tamato berry soup before beginning his story about his victory at the Indigo Plateau. About his win, the victory tour, the fame and how he tried to avoid it. All the hounding from the press and the sponsors, the crazy fans and conspiracy theories surrounding his retirement. He also told her about Professor Oak's Pokedex and how he almost completed it. He told her everything. Everything besides the events on New Island.

"Wow, so it's not all that."

Amber sat back, scratching the fur under Flareon's chin.

"I never really thought what would happen if I won the Indigo League. I just wanted to show how strong my Pokemon were."

Ty raised his head, noticing some detail now beginning to form on the clouds above. The sun was beginning to rise.

"Show how strong they are, just don't win. Don't become another number in a meaningless list of so called champions".

Amber wrinkled her forehead as she stared into the flames of the now dying fire.

"Well. Thanks for the soup" Ty took to his feet, now that the light would allow him to resume his journey.

"Wait, Ty"

He turned back, gesturing to the direction behind him.

"It's fine, I think this is the way. I can see now."

"I want to go with you."

"I'll be ok, I'll get a flashlight in Pewter or something. Last night I just-"

"No. I want to go with you. I mean, you kind of put a downer on the Indigo Plateau."

Ty laughed, shaking his head.

"Absolutely not. You don't even know where I'm heading."

Amber stood, flattening her hand down her dress and plucking her backpack from the floor.

"Johto right? If you've completed the Kanto circuit that's the next place to go."

Ty's lips parted. This girl was far too clever for her own good.

"I'll help you out of this forest but you're on your own from there"

Amber's smile spread as she threw her backpack over her shoulder. Ty didn't share the same enthusiasm as he stomped out the cinders of the fire and resumed his direction out of the forest and towards Pewter City, a new companion in tow.


	5. 5: Vermillion City

After an hours walk the dirt path began to fade out into a large open valley. The once green and botanical scenery of Viridian Forest was now replaced by jagged earth and uneven terrain churned up by the rock Pokemon who dwelt there. With little shade and the sun now lifting higher, both trainers began to slow their pace. Ty squinted as he flexed his arm across his chest, stretching out his shoulder. His body wasn't yet adapt to the discomfort of sleeping on hard ground. Each step on the firm terrain jolted through his aching and poorly rested skeleton. It was as if he hadn't slept at all. He was by no means unfit, but to navigate the varying terrain of Kanto was taking it's toll on his body. He could only hope that Johto was small and flat.

As grass turned to rock and trees to boulders, Ty thought it only kind to release his Onix and let him travel with them through the place that the Pokemon had once called home. Unsurprisingly, once Onix had left the Pokeball he immediately remembered the rocky planes of Pewter City and showed his appreciation by happily flicking his hulking head from side to side. The line of spherical rocks forming his body stretched upwards as far as it's tale would allow it to balance before he arched and dove into the earth as if it were a Dewgong diving elegantly into the surf.

"Careful." Ty warned, placing a steady hand around Amber's wrist as his grey eyes followed the shifting ground beneath them.

As the valley floor began to bulge in the distance, Ty released her wrist and placed his hands to his ears with a smirk. Nervously, Amber copied him.

Onix emerged from the bulge of sand and dirt, showering the valley floor with stone and crunching the damp, cool rocks it had found beneath as treats. It's body shuddered as it swallowed before releasing a deafening screech. The sound was deep and full of bass causing their chests to vibrate uncomfortably. After Amber and Ty had removed their hands from their ears, they could hear the call faintly returned in the distance. Though the drums of their ears still felt fuzzy, the sound released by Onix was one of delight and Ty was happy to give his Onix the pleasure. As vast as Oak's ranch was, Pewter Valley was really the only place in Kanto large enough to allow a fully grown Onix (and then some) the space to groom it's callous hide by grinding it's body along the stretch of solid rock.

Although his colossal Pokemon had disrupted the peace, the valley was still teeming with life. The wild Ground Pokemon here, such as Sandshrew, Sandslah, Geodude and Ekans seemed less intimidated by human presence. This may be because without trees and bushes to hide in, they were more confident by nature. It could also be that they were living in an area before the first gym, making a large percentage of travellers who used this path unskilled and therefore presented little threat to the inhabitants.

Ty had been different when he had first taken this path. As many did, he had caught a Pidgey on Route 1 but lingered behind in Viridian forest to train his new bird. Bugs were an easy prey for flying type Pokemon, and his Pidgey soon evolved. Like Ty, other trainers had assessed their journey accordingly and understood it would begin in Viridian and that their first real opponents would be Bug and Grass type Pokemon. The obvious advantage to those is Fire. If a trainer was impatient, as most are when they first begin, the smart ones chose a Charmander or begun with another Fire type. But Ty was smarter and chose Water. When given the option by Professor Oak to pick between Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle, Squirtle was the wisest choice. Not only was Viridian Forest filled with Grass and Bug type Pokemon, it was also filled with strong Fire types owned by impatient and overly confident trainers. Trained Pokemon meant more experience and more experience meant a faster evolution. Ty, Pidgey and his Squirtle had quickly dominated the forest, taking down every weakened Fire and Bug type who crossed them. Most of the defeated trainers had little or no money so he had taken other forms of payment as winnings such as a Great Ball. The Great ball used to catch the largest, strongest Onix he could find to battle Brock.

"I think this is it!" Ty had swiftly changed direction East when he caught sight of the dark slate roofs of Pewter City in the horizon. The Diglett cave was the quickest but also the least used shortcut in Kanto which explained the lack of signage. He had only used it twice before but remembered the entrance was hidden just beside the road in to Pewter.

"Here." Ty stated as he studied a small opening set into the rock. The entrance was only distinguishable by the crude drawings of Diglett scraped into the surrounding stone by resentful travellers.

"If you carry on along the valley you'll reach Pewter in no time."

With an arched eyebrow Amber slipped her backpack from her shoulder to let it fall with a thud in the dirt. She stepped over it and caught Ty's shoulder deliberately before circling Onix looking the creature up and down in mock confusion.

Ty shifted his glance from her to his Onix. "What?"

"I'm just amazed. Truly amazed. I don't know how you did it!"

Ty narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Did what?"

"Taught your Onix Flash of course. How you got a Rock type Pokemon to learn a Fire type move is truly incredible. Johto better watch their asses"

Ty pressed his tongue against his cheek, unamused by her sarcasm. "Onix remembers the way."

"Onix remembers A way." Amber corrected him. "What do you think the Diglett do in there all day, teach lost trainers how to play cards? I doubt theres anything left of the trail you used five years ago." She shook her head as she pulled her backpack up over her shoulder and revealed a Pokeball from her jacket. "Champion League Winner my ass." She tutted.

Ty sighed. He had been used to carrying a full team of Pokemon with all the skills needed for a quick and easy passage around Kanto that he hadn't given the technicalities of this leg of the journey much thought. Amber, without waiting for a comeback released her Flareon and followed it into the entrance of the cave.

"Don't worry, it's not like I'm keeping count of all the times I've saved your skinny backside!" Her voice trailed into an echo as she vanished into the dark abyss.

Ty rolled his eyes up towards Onix contemplating on whether or not the Pokemon would obey an order to crush her so he could continue his Journey alone. Instead he returned the Pokemon and followed the girl.

"Fine, just do the thing."

"Flareon, flash." She petted the dog between the ears as the dark cave illuminated by a swirling ball of fire balancing between the canine's jaws.

"This way." She sang mockingly as she followed her Pokemon deep into the mouth of the cavern.

The Diglett cave itself was a strange formation, alien in appearance, nothing else like it occurred naturally on the planet. There was one large natural opening with smaller tunnels leading off in all directions, most likely to a sudden drop and instant death. The ceiling, walls and floor were all riddled with pore-like holes tunnelled by Diglett that were just big enough to catch your toe and trip. There was hardly any flat ground along the cave floor giving the illusion of a concrete spider's web, forcing you on hands and knees to cross. It was this dangerous formation that strictly required a Pokemon in your party to learn Flash before you could successfully navigate the shortcut. Even then, trainers who seemed unconfident in the cave were regularly turned around by experienced Hikers for their own safety.

"So.. a Flareon, huh?"

Amber smirked as she tied her long blonde hair into a pony to keep it out of her face when hopping between ledges. "I love Fire Pokemon. Actually a lot of Pokemon trainers prefer to master one elemental type."

Ty could easily guess the girl's background having access to a Fire Stone to evolve her Eevee. Even if it wasn't for her obvious Cinnabarian traits like the blonde hair and tanned skin.

"You're from Cinnabar."

"Wow, you're incredibly perceptive. And this is a cave and that's a Pokemon." She stated sarcastically as she squeezed herself through a crevice and into another opening now illuminated by Flareon following closely behind her.

Ty pressed his lips together to keep from asking anymore questions. He deserved the ridicule for trying to abandon her after she had been so helpful. It was quickly dawning on him that this journey had been the outcome of a mixture of spontaneity and irritation at Professor Oak. Unlike the his first, successful journey which he had spent years planning and strategising.

The pair continued slowly and carefully through the cave, helping each other over wet rocks and narrow ledges. They rested where they could but kept pace to make it to Vermillion before evening.

"I see a light" Ty stated, pointing down one of the smaller tunnels. Flareon extinguished the swirling ball of fire releasing a thin wisp of smoke between it's teeth. The cave sank into darkness and for the first time Ty had realised how dark the cave actually was. They sank to their knees and followed the dog towards the natural light until they found an illuminated cavity with a rope ladder hanging from an opening in the ceiling.

Vermillion was one of the larger cities in Kanto, however the buildings were built much closer together as the coast afforded them less space. The city held all the standard amenities such as a Pokemon Centre and a Gym but also the largest port in the region. Some of the largest ships built sailed frequently to and from Vermillion, ferrying passengers around the Orange islands and further. Steel and wooden ships of all age and sizes lined the docks. As well as the port, Vermillion was also well known for it's spectacular show of lights. The city dazzled from the coast like one large beacon welcoming tourists from far away regions. Each building kept in theme and had a different graphic or light sequence to entice business. From shops to restaurants and bars, they all competed for the brightest sign in Vermillion. It was unsurprising why Lt. Surge decided to base his Electric type Gym here.

"I forgot how beautiful Vermillion is." Amber took a deep breath inhaling the salty scent of the sea breeze and the mouth watering smells from the crowded food stalls. "Come on, you owe me a drink- No, two!" She stated, marching towards the city centre.

Ty smiled and nodded in agreement. "I do, but first lets get somewhere to stay."

They finished the leg of their Kanto journey under the fuchsia light of the Vermillion Pokemon Centre. Presenting their Trainer ID's they scored a double room in the Pokemon Centre for three nights whilst they arranged voyage to Johto.

"Oh my fucking God" Amber screamed as she finally caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her tanned Cinnabar skin was hidden under a layer of dust and grime and her clothes matched in colour. Ty laughed as he sat on the bed, kicking off his boots and assessing the damage to his feet.

"Let's shower, rest and then see what Vermillion has to offer." Ty reached for a folded towel placed neatly at the foot of his bunk. "Then tomorrow morning we'll see which ship can take us to Johto."

Once the pair had returned from the showers and changed into fresh clothes they left the Pokemon Centre in search of something delicious to eat. It wasn't long before they found a Sushi bar nestled under a large neon light display shaped like a Gyarados being hooked on a rod. The unofficial motto of Vermillion was: the tackier the sign the better the food.

"Delicious!" Amber flicked back her clean, combed hair as she placed her chopsticks on to an empty plate. "I've been living off Tamato berry soup since Lavender town."

Ty finished his last rice ball before sitting back and patting his stomach. "Well get whatever you want, it's my treat." A hot (or in this case, raw) meal was the least he could offer for her help so far.

"In that case.." Amber smirked, leaning up to mime an empty glass in her hand followed by two fingers.

"Arceus, what is that?" Ty took a sniff from the contents of the small porcelain cup placed before him.

"Sake" Amber replied, knocking back her own before tightening her face. "Ugh..You'll like it."

"No doubt" Ty answered flatly before following her direction.

"So, Amber from Cinnabar Island. Since it would seem I'm now stuck with you until Johto, why don't we get to know each other a little better."

Amber smirked, leaning forward so that her blue eyes met his grey. "Ask me anything."

"Very well. You're what, 16, 17? A little old to be on your first Gym run aren't you. What took you so long?"

"17 and my mother." she replied simply.

"What about her?"

Amber shifted uncomfortably before shaking the empty cup at a passing waitress.

"She's not one for battle. Hates it in fact. Especially for such a competitive bitch." Amber knocked back her second sake a little easier than the last one. "She's a beauty contest champ-ick-ion."

Ty didn't know whether it was the sake or the topic which caused her to hiccup.

"She wanted me to follow in her footsteps and I did. One day, when I was thirteen she spent all of her savings on a pedigree Eevee for me. She taught me how to groom, care and feed it to make it a champion. And it was. I won eighteen ribbons up until my sixteenth birthday."

Ty lowered his hand gesturing to keep the bottle as the waitress returned a third time. "Why'd you leave that for battle?"

Amber clumsily poured herself another drink, sake ran over the edges of the tiny cup and stained the table. "A boy." She swallowed half the drink and mopped the other half from her chin on the back of her sleeve. "My boy... My boyfriend. I caught him cheating on me with some Snorlax-looking whore from Celadon. He was a trainer. She was a Gym Leader. That old Taurus-shit storyline".

Ty raised his eyebrows. "Erika?"

Amber shook her head in disgust at the name. "So I found a Fire stone, evolved my Eevee into a Flareon and registered for the Kanto League." By now the tiny cup was becoming more of a hindrance so she began to drink directly from the bottle, offering it to Ty between swigs.

"Burnt half her fuck-ick-ing gym down in that battle and then decided to carry on. Flareon has a taste for it now." Her words began to slur as she twisted her hair around her finger. "Now we're here." She raised the bottle to toast.

Ty raised his cup and tapped it against the bottle. It seemed they both carried the heavy burden of rage but not tonight. Tonight they would drink and they would forget their pasts and have fun.


	6. 6: SS Manaphy

Both trainers awoke in similar states of ill health thanks to the copious amounts of sake and the vodka smuggled into the Pokemon Centre at 2am. Amber was the first to rise to hurriedly stumble to the bathroom. Ty groaned and pulled the pillow tight around his head to shield his ears from the putrid sound of vomit escaping her body.

Useless, Ty flung the pillow away and rolled on to his side plucking his Pokedex up from the dresser. It was midday already and roughly 4 hours later than he planned to be awake. He snapped the Pokedex shut. No messages as usual.

Pulling on some jeans and a simple grey t-shirt that he didn't realise was inside-out, Ty squeezed his feet back into his boots and rummaged through his bag to hide his bloodshot eyes behind sunglasses, before daring to open the curtains. The sun he had expected did not appear though. Instead his view was of the blue, yellow and violet lights of the city centre blurred behind a haze of heavy rainfall. For once Ty was grateful for the bad weather.

"Where are you going?" Amber asked as she pulled a cardigan over one of Ty's spare t-shirts she was sporting as a dress.

Scared to open his mouth without seeing a return of last night's sushi, Ty mimed chewing a slice of toast and held the door open for her to follow. Amber nodded, eager to line her stomach with something too.

They made it down to the canteen without too many disapproving looks. The younger trainers were too green to recognise the signs of a hangover and the older trainers mostly smirked and nodded with sympathy.

"What _is_ that noise?" Amber groaned, rubbing her temples.

The canteen was located on the first floor overlooking the grounds hidden behind the Pokemon Centre. Most of the diners were pressed up against the glass windows excitedly babbling between each other. Ty arched his brow as he finished pouring a coffee and headed over to the commotion to spot the source of the excitement.

"A battle?"

Behind the glass he could see a modest sized Pokemon arena with two trainers occupying each end. They were conversing but he couldn't hear what they were saying over the sound of rain battering the panes and children shushing one another.

"I know that guy." Amber took a bite of toast, staring into the direction of one of the battlers.

"Should I?" Ty asked, referring to the crowd as he peered over the tinted lenses of his glasses. As popular as Pokemon battles were, random training battles were too commonplace to gain any attention. Unless of course, the trainers were famous or carried a rare Pokemon. Ty raised himself on to this toes to identify the Pokemon. The trainer Amber recognised released a Nidoking, his opponent sent out a Taurus. Nothing special.

"Oh Arceus, no." Ty mumbled as he pushed a child aside for a clearer view of the arena. Amber raised her eyebrows. "Nurse Joy better make a cow-sized bed free."

They both inhaled through gritted teeth as the Nidoking took down the Taurus with one quick Mega Punch to the stomach. The Taurus released a horrifying wail before collapsing on it's side.

"So who is he?" Ty asked, tearing a sachet of sugar between his teeth and pouring out the contents into his coffee.

Amber knocked on the window and waved her hand towards the victor. "You know Blaine the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader? that's his son, Coal."

Ty watched the trainer carefully examine his Nidoking's fist before looking up at Amber with a smile and returning her wave.

"He didn't inherit the hairline."

"Nor the crazy, fortunately. Come on, I'll introduce you."

"Another time." Ty answered, recoiling at his own booze ridden breath. "We have tickets to buy remember."

It turned out there were far more options to travel to Johto than Ty had previously thought. From 3 day to 6 week cruises. Ships with training facilities, ships with onboard entertainment, guided excursions around the Orange Islands, Wailord watching, Snorkelling the Seafoam Islands, there was even a ship with it's own mini league. Ty eventually settled on a week long voyage to Olivine City with a skipper that could take them to New Bark Town on the fifth day. The ship was christened SS Manaphy which the rep had pointed out far in the bay. It was due to dock in the evening and they would be able to board it tomorrow afternoon where they would attend a departure dinner with the captain before setting sail.

"It's black tie" He stated begrudgingly as he read through the full itinerary.

"A SPA!" Amber screeched in delight as they wandered along the beachfront, huddled together under an umbrella.

"I have nothing to wear."

"Oh relax sweetheart, we'll pick you up something pretty in town." She slapped his buttocks and swung the umbrella around, kicking up puddles with excitement all the way back to the Centre.

They continued reading all the details about their short stay aboard the Manaphy whilst sat in robes in the small laundrette buried in the Centre's basement. Amber had decided her priority was to book a number of pamper treatments as she frowned at her chipped nails. Ty was more interested in the onboard library where he could learn as much as possible about the Johto region. He was familiar with the Pokemon indigenous to that area but not the Towns or the Gyms & their Leaders. Onix would need some help, but he had to be smart about which Pokemon to capture. The trainers carried their freshly laundered clothes back to the room and shared stories about their best and worst battles until both fell fast asleep.

Ty was the first to wake, snoozing his alarm before it could disturb his friend. Quietly he reached for his towel and jogged off to the showers before the queues began. Luckily he was the first one there. He hung up his towel, stepped out of his underwear and reached out his hand waiting for the water to warm up before stepping under.

"Amber's friend, right?"

Ty wiped the lather from his eyes. His peace had been disturbed by a familiar face. Blonde hair, blue eyes and tanned skin. A Cinnabar local for sure.

"Yeah, Tyler." He replied, circling his eyes around the empty shower room uncomfortably.

The boy turned on the water beside Ty. He had a swimmer's body, hairless, defined muscle and stood half a foot taller than him.

"I saw the two of you together".

"Right" Ty closed his eyes and turned his head into the running water to avoid staring. Intimidated was not a word Ty would often use to describe himself in most situations, especially in battle, but at this moment, stood beside Cinnabarian perfection, he was.

"Let me guess. It looks deep... a Scyther?"

Ty tensed up as Coal, ignoring the social standard of human boundaries, ran a finger over the light scar stretching the length of his forearm. He didn't know how to answer truthfully so just agreed with a high-pitched hum.

"Tentacruel. They have a nasty little beak!" Coal leant down, pointing to his own pink wound along the flesh of his muscular thigh.

Ty flicked his eyes to the mark before raising them back to the tiled wall. How he envied the trainer's confidence to parade his naked body so comfortably.

"My name is Coal by the way" He pointed out, probably impatient of waiting to be asked and beaming a flawless smile.

"Does everyone from Cinnabar have a stripper name?" Ty had sputtered the comment before he had chance to even contemplate what he was asking. Years of smack talk in battles had gifted him a sharp little tongue with a mind of it's own.

Coal blinked before releasing a shrill laugh unbefitting to his appearance. Ty exhaled, relieved.

"How long are you in Vermillion?" Coal asked, emptying a bottle of shampoo into his palm.

"We're leaving tonight" Ty answered quickly. He began scrubbing his body aggressively, eager to end the conversation and be dressed again.

"Maybe I'll see you around then."

"Maybe." Ty responded, twisting the water tap and reaching for his towel.

He glanced one last look at Coal who smiled warmly before collecting his belongings and returning back to the room.

The SS Manaphy was twice as large as the second biggest ship in the bay. It towered above the seafront buildings by a dozen storeys yet remained solid above the swaying current. It's enormous deck was lit by hundreds of paper lanterns shaped like Seaking, bathing it's guests in a welcoming light as a string quartet played Viridian City quietly in the background. The weather had cleared and the sun was beginning to set turning the sky into patchwork of rich oranges and pinks. There was a gentle breeze which made the warm night even more pleasant, perfect weather for a cocktail or two on the upper deck.

From the top of the ship, Vermillion looked miniscule. The crowd below waved them farewell as the ship began to push away from port. Amber and Ty leaned over the railing, watching Kanto drift away into the horizon both wondering what awaited them in the next region.

The inside of the ship was no less grand. Huge crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling like icicles illuminating the platinum detail around the columns and railings. Cloyster shells wrapped in Gold leaf decorated the marble tables, holding lavender scented candles. The furniture shared a similar theme of pearl coloured fabric upholstered to ebony wood and faced the port windows to look out over the calm sea. No wonder the ticket had cost him a pretty penny.

Plucking a flute of champagne from a passing waiter they made their way through the atrium and up the spiral glass staircase to their cabin. Amber had scored them a balcony suite with the help of some feminine charm on the Vermillian rep.

"You have half an hour" Ty called, dropping his bag on the bed as he scanned the dinner invitation. They had both been placed on the Captain's table, much to Ty's annoyance. The captain had probably caught his name on the passenger list and decided to dine in the company of a former champion.

"How's it look?"

Amber tilted her head, eying up his crooked bow tie.

"Perfect." She replied after fiddling with the silk before hopping into the bathroom to change. Ty turned to the mirror, scowling. He looked ridiculous. The suit was a poor fit from a cheap shop they found in town and his unruly chestnut coloured hair was wet-combed back like a Saffron City Gigolo. He struggled to fit his Pokedex in a pocket that didn't bulge but settled on the inside breast pocket along with the Captain's invitation.

"Wow." His mouth dropped as he caught sight of Amber exiting the bathroom over his shoulder. She wore a sparkling fitted black dress which complimented her athletic figure. Her hair was pinned to one side and flowed over her bare back. "You look amazing."

"Ugh, fuck you." Amber rolled her eyes as she downed the rest of her champagne and transferred her Flareon's Pokeball from her backpack to a tiny clutch. "Come on, lets mingle!"

The Departure Dinner was located at the front of the ship, outside in the cool night air. Twelve round tables each housed eight seats with named place settings arranged neatly between polished silver cutlery. An impressive arrangement of exotic flowers shaped like tiny Venusaurs formed the centrepieces and candles flickered everywhere. They found their seats on the Captain's table located in the centre of the deck with the best view of the stage. No doubt an equally extravagant performance would follow dinner. All Ty and Amber cared for was the contents of the menu.

"Hello again."

Ty looked up from scanning the specials.

"Coal!" Amber stood, wrapping her arm around the Cinnabarian hunk and leaving a faint pink pattern from her lipstick against his jaw.

"You look positively stunning."

"Thank you." She replied politely, performing a quick twirl. "You don't look so bad yourself." To Ty's annoyance Coal looked just as good in a tuxedo as he did out of one.

"We strippers scrub up well." He winked at Ty as he took a seat beside Amber. She shot him a puzzled look before turning back to Ty.

"Coal, this is Tyler, my new travel companion-."

"..And the 45th Indigo League Champion" a loud, boisterous voice finished.

Chairs scraped over wood as the party stood to applaud the Captain's appearance. He waved his hands modestly and took his seat. The passengers followed, shuffling themselves back under the tables and resuming their chatter. Ty caught sight of Coal who's eyebrows were raised before leaning over to shake the captains hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Captain"

"Pleasure to have you aboard. It's always an honour to sail a Champion from any league."

Ty shrugged, indifferent to the title.

The rest of the table took their seats, the Captain introduced them as a Professor from Golden Rod City and his aid who seemed far too pretty to be studying anything of real intellect. They were at least a decade apart in age and his public displays of affection were inappropriate for such a classy occasion.

"I bet she's seen his Golden Rod" Ty whispered to Amber who chocked on champagne before gifting him a jab in the ribs.

The last two guests were a CEO of Silph Co. And her husband. Her eyes lingered on Ty for longer than he felt comfortable. She wore a very expensive velvet gown with a knuckle full of rings. Her husband was not as flashy, overweight and glistening with sweat even in the cool outdoors. They both stank of old money.

The table exchanged pleasantries before the first course was served. Like the brochure had promised, the food was the very best produce Kanto had to offer. A soft string quartet played quietly in the background as waiters danced between tables with bottles of champagne.

"So young man, if I might ask, what brings you aboard my fine vessel?"

Ty wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin before answering. "We're heading to Johto actually. By request of Professor Oak himself. He asked me to complete another Pokedex for him".

It was always wise to throw Professor Oak's name into any conversation. People knew better than to ask Oak's business rather than your personal objectives. Ty looked towards the Silph Co. CEO who seemed more interested in the answer than the captain did.

"How marvellous to hear you're back out of retirement. Five years is a long time to wait to witness another impressive League tournament. Others have been impressive yes, but I haven't enjoyed a match as much as your Blastoise against that sparky little rat Pokemon. Quite a show".

Ty's expression remained courteous as he wondered how the hell the Captain knew so much about him. "Thank you, Captain".

The second course was served as the conversation turned to remembrance of his winning League battle. Only Amber remained as quiet as Ty as she had been more interested in Beauty contests at the time, but still listening intently, raising her eyebrows every now and then at the details of his victory.

"Tell me, what ever did happen to your Blastoise?"

Ty placed his cutlery down on an empty plate and took a sip of champagne. It was a question he had often been asked but still had not come up with a plausible answer.

"I sold him. For breeding a long time ago". He took another gulp of champagne. "Perhaps his shell is a decoration on your ship somewhere".

The Professor and his aid now noticeably drunk, sniggered. The Captain continued eating without retort and the CEO continued eyeing Ty suspiciously before whispering something into the Captain's ear.

"What a brilliant idea!" The captain spat food over the crisp white linen before standing.

"We should have a battle! Battling is only a mere hobby of mine but I could not turn down the opportunity to learn a thing or two from the Indigo League Champion!"

Ty shifted his glance from side to side now noticing the rest of party falling silent to await his answer. He now realised the stage was not erected to perform a dance or aquabatic show, it was set for him. The Captain of the SS Manaphy versus a returning Champion League winner. That would be a battle to witness. Ty didn't know how to disappoint them. A giant Onix on a cruise ship was a disaster waiting to happen and he had a feeling the CEO knew that, but if he refused there would be whispers in Johto before he set foot on land about how weak he now was. He was about to give in and decline before feeling something hard and round land in his lap beneath the table.

Coal winked as he placed a flute of champagne to his lips. He had gifted him a Pokeball but what type of Pokemon hid inside Ty did not know. Still, it was worth the gamble. The Captain would not so easily make a fool out of him.

"Very well. Challenge accepted, Captain".


End file.
